Relay coupler switch



April 1934' w. H. REISNER 1,954,758

RELAY COUPLER SWITCH Filed Nov. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 11:21.11 Ira-LLB INVENTOR.

A M w/v, BY 7 0 ATTORNEY April 10, 1934. w H, RElsNER 1,954,758

RELAY COUPLER SWITCH Filed Nov. 28, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a 8 /a 7 m ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RELAY COUPLER SWITCH Application November 28, 1931, Serial No. 577,841

16 Claims.

My invention relates broadly to an electromagnetically operated switch and more particularly to a relay switch and a relay coupler magnet for controlling the operation of valve circuits in an organ.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a simplified form of relay switch adapted to be electrically operated for magnetically closing selected electrical circuits at relatively high speed.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simplified form of electromagnetically actuated switch and operating armature associated therewith and adapted to control the opening or closing of a multiplicity of electrical contacts dis- 171 posed adjacent the armature.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a construction of electromagnetically operated switch having an armature member shiftable with respect to a multiplicity of contacts for 26 quickly opening and closing the sets of contacts for controlling a multiplicity of circuits to an organ.

A further object of my invention is to provide a construction of relay coupler switch for organs 23 consisting of electromagnetic actuator and a pivoted armature having a conductive bridge carried thereby and adapted to be raised into engagement with sets of contacts for establishing electrical circuits through the sets of contacts for control ling the operation of an organ.

Other and further objects of my invention reside in the construction of an electromagnetically operated switch and an arrangement of armature and contact system therefor, as set forth more 35; fully in the specification hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged plan view of the assembled relay coupler switch; Fig. 2 is a fragmen- 45 tary view of the relay coupler switch with a portion of the bridge thereof shown in lateral crosssectional view on line 22 of Fig. 3; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken through the relay coupler switch on line 33 of Fig. 1;

45 Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken through the bridge of the relay coupler magnet on line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken through the base of the relay coupler magnet on line 5-5 of Fig. 3 and showing the lat- 50 erally extending insulated strip which is carried by the base; Fig. 6 is a lateral cross-sectional view taken through the base of the relay coupler switch on line 66 of Fig. 3 and showing the arrangement of contact members which are sup- 5 ported thereby; Fig. '7 is a perspective view showing the pole pieces of the actuating electromagnet which project through the bridge of the relay coupler switch, the view being taken in reverse position; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the actuating armature and elongated metallic contact arranged for closing the sets of contacts for the relay coupler switch; Fig. 9 is a view of the reverse side of the armature and contact strip illustrated in Fig. 8; Fig. 10 is a longitudinal crosssectional view taken through a modified form of relay switch embodying my invention; Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one side of the modified construction of armature and insulated strip carried thereby as employed in the modified construction of relay switch shown in Fig. 10; and Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the armature and insulated strip carried thereby as employed in the relay switch of Fig. 10.

The relay coupler magnet comprises a base 3 and bridge 4 securely fastened thereto which carries magnet 5, the core ends of which extend through bridge 4 immediately over armature 6. Armature 6 extends through bridge 4 and is provided with a contact strip 7 and is flexibly held in such manner as to permit the end carrying contact strip '7 to elevate when magnet 5 is energized. Resilient wire finger members 8 and 9 are secured in block 10 made of an insulating material and securely fastened to base 3. Insulating strip 11 is provided with notches 11a to support resilient fingers 8 and elevated portion 11b to support fingers 9 so that the bent portions of fingers 9 will be held above and out of contact with fingers 8.

The magnet 5 is in circuit with power sources 2 and key switch 1 as shown by lines 12, 13 and 14. Magnetically operated pneumatic valves A to J inclusive which will be referred to as chest magnets are shown connected to power source 2 by means of lines 15 and to the relay magnet 9 contact fingers 8-9 by means of lines 16 to inclusive and switches 26 which may be arranged for individual control. Key switch 1 is connected to the armature 6 as shown by lines 13, 27 and 28.

The armature 6 which carries the contact strip 7 is illustrated more clearly in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 8 and 9. The armature is constructed of magnetic material and has a non-magnetic protective pad 30 on the face thereof directly in alignment with the poles of the magnet 5 for preventing sticking of the armature to the pole pieces during operation of the electromagnetic system. The armature 6 has one end thereof terminating in an elongated angularly disposed strip 31 which provides a support for the conductive strip 7 which is attached to the elongated portion 31 by means of rivets 32. The armature is cut away at each side thereof as represented at 6a and carries an insulated plate 33 secured to the armature by means of outstruck clip members 617. The insulated plate 33 is perforated at 34 in positions removed from the edges of the armature 6 to permit the passage of pin members 35 therethrough. Pin members 35 are erected vertically in the base 3 as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. The pin members 35 are disposed vertically and pass through the insulated pad member 36 upon which the armature 6 may rest. The insulated sheet 33, heretofore described, is carried by armature 6 and has the apertures therein aligned with pin members 35. Coil springs 37 are disposed around the pins 35 and extend into sockets 4a in the bridge 4, the pressure of springs 37 tending to urge the armature 6 away from the poles of the actuating magnet 5.

Electrical connection is established with armature 6 through flexible lead 38 connected to lug 39 on the end of armature 6. When magnet 5 has the windings 5a thereof electrically energized, armature 6 is drawn upwardly from its lowermost position illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 to a position in which conductive strip '7 raises the resilient fingers 8 and establishes electrical connection with the ends or" the adjacent angularly disposed fingers 9. The relay switch is highly sensitive and provides means for completing the circuits to all of the organ valve circuits as illustrated. The armature 6 is thoroughly insulated from the base 3, bridge 4 and the core ends of the magnet 5. This is accomplished by the provision of the insulated pads 36 and 30 arranged as shown in the drawings.

The operation is as follows:-Closing of the circuit at key switch 1 permits current to pass from source 2 through lines 27 and 13 to key switch 1 and through lines 14 to magnet 5 then outward through line 12 to power source 2. This causes magnet 5 to lift armature 6 and contact strip '7 against the undersides of fingers 8 which in turn contact with fingers 9 and permits current to flow from power source 2 through line 28 to and through armature 6 and contact strip '7 to and through fingers 8 and 9 where it may be connected by means of switches 26 to one or more of lines 16 to 25 inclusive through which it will pass to and through chest magnets A to J inclusive, to lines 15 thence to power source 2, thus completing the circuit.

It will be observed that the circuit just described will operate any or all of the chest magnets A to J inclusive depending upon which of switches 26 are closed. These switches 26 may be controlled remotely by means of a manually and electrically operated stop action magnet.

. from the poles of magnet 5 and insulated pad 30 stead of prevents contacting of the armature against the poles of the magnet 5. The elongated end portion 31 of the armature carries the insulating strip 41 secured thereto by means of rivets 42. In-

establishing electrical connection through the armature with the sets of resilient fingers 8 and 9, the insulated strip 41 when raised under magnetic control tends to shift resilient fingers 8 into contact with resilient fingers 9, thereby closing the desired control circuits.

The operation and functions of the relay switch will be described as follows:Closing of circuit by key switch 44 permits current to flow from source 2 through line 12, to and through the windings 5a of magnet 5 to line 13, to and through stop action magnet 43, when the same is closed as at 45, to line 14 to source 2. This completed circuit energizes magnet 5 which lifts armature 6 (shown in Fig. 10) causing insulating strip 41 to contact with and push fingers 8 against the undersides of bent portions of fingers 9 which permits current to flow from source 2 to line 12, to line 16 and 16 to finger 9' to finger 8 to line 17, to and through chest magnet K to line 18 to key switch 44 to line 19, to line 23 and to source 2. From this description it is obvious that when stop action magnet 43 is set as shown at 46 and key switch 44 is closed two circuits will be established, one circuit operating the relay switch and the other circuit operating chest magnet K.

When key switch 45 is closed the relay switch will operate as described above and chest magnet L will function by means of current flowing from source 2 through lines l2, l6, fingers 9 and 8, line 26, to and through chest magnet L, to line 21, to key switch 45 to lines 22 and 23, to source 2. Insulating strip 11 is provided with notches 11a to support fingers 8 and elevated portions 112) to support fingers 9 in a manner similar to the structure of Figs. 12 and 3, so that the bent portions of said fingers 9 will be held above and out of contact with fingers 8. Lines 24 and 25 and 25' may be used as previously described for forming individual circuits for the operation of additional chest magnets or other suitable electromagnetic devices by connecting the remaining fingers 9 to line 16'.

It will be observed that the essential difference between the relay coupler switch of Figs. 1-9 and the relay switch of Figs. 10-13 resides in the construction of the armature and contact strip 7. The armature 6 in the relay coupler switch shown in Figs. 1-9 is fashioned in such manner as to be electrically isolated from its housing, and has a metallic strip '7 adapted to contact with fingers 8 and has at the rear an extended portion arranged to fasten one line of a circuit. The armatur in the relay switch, shown in Figs. 10-13 is not necessarily electrically isolated from its housing but is provided with an insulating strip '7 which obviates the possibility of current shorting the circuits of the several pairs of fingers 8 and 9.

From the facts set forth it will be seen that the relay coupler magnet and the relay switch may be used interchangeably for combining a number of circuits into one circuit or for controlling a number of individual circuits by simply interchanging the armatures and wiring the circuits to suit.

While I have described the relay of my invention in certain of its preferred embodiments, I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made in the construction of the device and that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than may be imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by 1. An electromagnetically actuated switch MIT comprising a base member, a bridge carried by said base member, a magnet having pole pieces extending through said bridge, an armature member, a pair of pin members disposed in said bridge normal to said armature member and passing through said armature member for confining said armature member to a position beneath said pole pieces, an elongated strip carried by said armature member, and pairs of contacts mounted on said base member adjacent said elongated strip, said pairs of contacts being opened and closed by the engagement of said elongated strip therewith under control of the armature member actuated by said magnet.

2. A relay comprising a base member, a bridge supported by said base member, an electromagnet having its poles extending through said bridge, an armature member, a pair of pin members carried by said bridge normal to said armature member and passing through said armature member for confining said armature member to a position beneath said poles, an elongated strip carried by said armature, a plurality of pairs of contacts supported at spaced intervals by said base member, each pair of contacts having its elements normally open one with respect to the other, and an elongated strip carried by said armature and adapted to engage one of the elements of each of said pairs of contacts for simultaneously shunting the elements of all of said pairs of contacts under control of said magnet.

3. A relay comprising a base member, a bridge supported by one end of said base member, a

i magnet having its poles projecting through said bridge, an armature member, pin members passing through said armature member in positions normal thereto and secured beneath said bridge for maintaining said armature member in a position to be actuated by said magnet, a plurality of pairs of resilient contact, members insulatingly supported from said base member, and an elongated strip carried by said armature and shiftable with respect to said pairs of contact members for shunting said contact members with respect to each other under control of said magnet.

4. A relay comprising a base member, a bridge formed on said base member, a magnet having its 1 poles projecting through said bridge, an armature member, means passing loosely through said armature member and carried by said bridge for insulatingly mounting said armature member beneath said bridge in a position to be actuated by said magnet, a plurality of pairs of contact members insulatingly supported from said base member, the elements of each pair of said contact members being normally sprung to open position, and an elongated strip carried by said armature and adapted to abut with one of the elements of said pairs of contact members for shunting said pairs of contact members with respect to each other under control of said magnet.

5. A relay comprising a base member, a bridge I 1 carried by said base member, a magnet having its poles projecting through said bridge, an armature member, a pair of pins extending loosely through said armature member normal to the plane thereof, a coil spring on each of said pins 1 acting against said armature member for maintaining said armature member in a position insulatingly beneath said bridge under control of said magnet, a plurality of pairs of resilient contacts insulatingly supported from said base member and projecting toward said armature, an insulated support for the ends of said contacts for maintaining each pair of contacts in normally open position, and an elongated strip carried by said armature and adapted to engage one contact of each pair of said contacts for shifting said pairs of contacts into closed position simultaneously under control of said magnet.

6. A relay comprising a base member, a bridge carried by said base member, a magnet having its poles projecting through said bridge, an armature insulatingly mounted beneath said bridge and adapted to be actuated by said magnet, a plurality of pairs of resilient contacts insulatingly supported from said base member, said contacts being constituted by extended wire-like elements disposed adjacent each other, a strip of insulation supported by said base member and having alternate oifset supporting faces on the upper edge thereof beneath said wire-like members whereby the wire-like members constituting each set of contacts are normally open, and a strip-like member carried by said armature and adapted to engage one wire-like member of each of said sets of contacts for raising said wirelike member into electrical connection with the associated wire-like member constituting a pair of contacts under control of said magnet.

7. A relay comprising a base member, a bridge carried by said base member, a magnet having its poles projecting through. said bridge, an armature insulatingly mounted beneath said bridge and adapted to be actuated by said magnet, a plurality of pairs of resilient contacts insulatingly supported from said base member, said contacts comprising pairs of wire-like members, one wire-like member of each pair having the end thereof extending across the path of the associated wire-like member, an insulated support mounted on said base beneath the ends of said wire-like members, said support having recesses along the length thereof beneath said wire-like members for normally maintaining the wire-like members constituting each pair of contacts in open position, and an elongated strip carried by said armature shiftable under control of said magnet for simultaneously shunting said pairs of contacts with respect to each other.

8. A relay comprising a base member, an insulated support adjacent one end of said base member, a plurality of pairs of resilient wire-like members carried by said insulated support, the extremity of one wire-like member of each pair of wire-like members extending at an angle across the path of the associated wire-like member, an insulated bridge having notches formed therein beneath each of said wire-like members and disposed adjacent the ends of said wire-like members for normally maintaining one wire-like member of each pair of contacts out of conductive relation with the associated wire-like member, an electromagnetic actuating mechanism, and means controlled by the electromagnetic actuating mechanism for shifting one wirelike member of each of the pairs of wire-like members into connection with the associated wire-like member constituting each pair of contacts.

9. A relay comprising a base member, an insulated support extending laterally of said base member, a plurality of pairs of resilient contact members carried by said insulated support and extending longitudially of said base member, an insulated strip having alternately disposed projections and recesses for normally supporting said resilient contact members in positions in which the pairs of adjacent contacts are open and electromagnetic means for shifting the contact members from the recesses in said insulated strip into connection with the contact members supported by the projections on said insulated strip.

10. In a relay, a base member, an insulated support extending laterally of said base member, a plurality of pairs of resilient strips carried by said insulated support, one resilient strip of each of saidpairs having its end portion bent to a positionextending across the path of the adjacent contact strip, an insulated strip disposed in a position adjacent the extremities of said contact strips, said insulated strip having alternate recesses and projections immediately below said contact strips for normally maintaining said pairs of contact strips out of contact with each other and electromagnetic means for engaging the end of one contact strip of each pair of said contacts for connecting each pair of said contact strips with circuits through said contact strips simultaneously.

11. A relay comprising a base member, aninsulated support extending laterally of one end of said base member, a plurality of pairs of contact strips carried by said insulated support, one contact strip element of each pair of contact strips extending across the path of the other contact strip element of the pair of contact strips, an insulated strip extending beneath the ends of said contact strips and having alternate recesses and projections therein whereby adjacent contact strips are normally maintained in different horizontal planes outof contact with one respectto the other, an electromagnetic actuating mechanism, an armature operated by said mechanism, an elongated metallic strip carried by said armature and engageable with the ends of one element of each pair of said contact strips for simultaneously closing an electrical circuit through each of said pairs of contact strips and establishing a conductive path through said armature and each of said contact strips.

12. A relay comprising a base member, an insulated support extending laterally of one end of said base member, a plurality of pairs of contact strips carried by said insulated support, one contact strip element of each pair of contact strips extending across the path of the other contact strip element of the pair of contact strips, an insulated strip extending beneath the ends of said contact strips and having alternate recesses and projections therein whereby adjacent contact strips are normally maintained in different horizontal planes out of contact one with respect to the other, an electromagnetic actuating mechanism, an armature operated by said mechanism, an elongated metallic strip carried by said armature and engageable with the ends of one element of each pair of said contact strips for simultaneously closing an electrical circuit through each of said pairs of contact strips and establishing a conductive path through said armature and each of said contact strips and means for insulatingly journalling said armature with respect to said electromagnetic actuating mechanism.

13. A relay comprising a supporting base, a plurality of contact strips insulatingly mounted with respect to said supporting base, a bridge carried by said supporting base, an electromagnet having its poles extending through said bridge, an armature comprising a magnetic strip of material extending beneath said bridge and an elongated metallic strip carried by said armature and extending in a plane at acute angles to the plane of said armature, means for insulatingly supporting said armature beneath said bridge, an electrical terminal carried by said armature for establishing a conductive path through said elongated strip and said contacts when the armature is displaced under control or said electromagnet.

14. In a relay, an electromagnet, an armature comprising a magnetic strip member, insulation means carried by said strip member, means extending through said insulation means for mounting said armature for movement toward and away from said electromagnet and an elongated metallic strip extending at an acute angle to one end of said armature.

15. In a relay, an electromagnet, an armature comprising a magnetic strip member, insulation means carried by said strip member, means extending through said insulation means for mounting said armature for movement toward and away from said electromagnet, an elongated metallic strip extending at an acute angle to one end of said armature, and an insulated strip extending at an acute angle to one end of said armature.

16. An electromagnetically actuated switch comprising a base member, a plurality of contacts insulatingly supported with respect to one end of said base member, a bridge member disposed adjacent the opposite end of said base member, an electromagnet having pole pieces projecting through said bridge member to a position adja cent the inner face of said bridge member providing a gap between the inner face of said bridge member and said base member, a pair of pins extending between said base member and said bridge member, an armature member disposed within the gap between said bridge member and said base member, said armature members having apertures through which said pin members freely pass, a coil spring on each of said pin members disposed between said bridge member and said armature member for normally urging said armature member away from the poles or" said electromagnet, and means carried by said armature member for effecting an open ing and closing of said contacts in accordance with the operation of said electromagent.

WILLIAM H. REISNER. 

